Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/64

40 uneasy. In brief, we held our own, and had reached the drawbridge when we saw them draw up at the edge of the wood."

"You saw that we had closed the castle when you came," Edgar went on in turn. "But that was only to take every precaution. We did not know whether there might not be a larger force ready to take advantage of the confusion caused by our hurried return."

Then, having finished his light dinner, Hugh gave a brief account of his encounter with Ferrers' men. Edgar was especially pleased that Hugh had wounded the leader—whom Hugh described to him.

"That is Luke the Lurdane," said Edgar—"a plotter of mischief, and a worthless wretch. The Count de Ferrers is a man of some ability, and a skilled soldier, it is said. But Luke is a sly knave who does not love buffeting or cold steel, and ever tries to gain his ends by sly trickery. No doubt the attempt to take us by suprise [sic] was of his hatching. The Count would be more likely to march up to the castle with banners afloat, and trumpets all sounding. Against fair fighting we are well prepared, but against the plots of that sneaking scoundrel Luke, we should be helpless if we had not the help of such a brain as yours, Hugh. So I am right glad that he will